News
Vietnamese telco reportedly aims to roll out network covering 95% of population in three years.
Viettel will invest US$1.5 billion in building up its operations in Myanmar, it emerged late last week.
According to a Viet Nam News report on Friday, Viettel’s spending plan includes the deployment of mobile networks that cover 95% of Myanmar’s population within three years.
The report said Viettel plans to roll out a 3G network, and possibly even a 4G network if it receives an additional licence.
The Vietnamese telco was selected in March by Myanmar’s Ministry of Communications and Information Technology (MCIT) as the preferred bidder for the country’s fourth mobile licence. It was also the only bidder for the fourth licence.
Before it receives its licence, Viettel must first negotiate a deal with the government and a consortium of local companies that includes ISP Yatanarpon Teleport (YTP) to form a new mobile joint venture in which Viettel will hold a 49% stake. The MCIT expects the new entity to officially apply for the fourth licence in June.
"We expect we will reach success in negotiations to set up a telecommunication joint venture in Myanmar," said Lê Ðang Dung, deputy general director of Viettel, in Friday’s report.
